


Making a House 'Home'

by Dramaticdragon



Series: Dedue Week Jan 2020 [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Dedue Week, Fluff, M/M, dramaticdragon writes 3k words of soft warm feelings, feat extra ignatz appearances, it became more than i intended sorry but not really because its cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:55:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22154377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dramaticdragon/pseuds/Dramaticdragon
Summary: (Dedue Week Day 2: Battle/-Home-)Dedue realizes Dimitri's room is rather empty, and wants to help Dimitri feel comfortable in his dorm.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Dedue Molinaro
Series: Dedue Week Jan 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1594519
Comments: 5
Kudos: 45





	Making a House 'Home'

**Author's Note:**

> so i'd like to formally ask yall NOT to count how many times I say 'perhaps' in this, because i KNOW i wrote it alot. i could feel it as i wrote it. i know. i know.
> 
> OH ALSO I wrote Dimitri when it’s kinda overview POV and “your/his Highness” when strictly from Dedue’s thoughts

The professors at the monastery really did try to avoid any unnecessary splitting of noble students from common-folk ones. It was only after a complaint that they split the floors of student dorms. But even then, the room sizes were hardly but a single square-foot difference, and the décor was entirely the same. But, perhaps being in a closed hallway rather than along an outside wall was all the noblemen needed?

Dedue never really considered his dorm ‘home’. It wasn’t especially decorated, like some of his schoolmates who went all out to cover their dorms to their taste. It was a place to sleep, work on assignments, and relax in needed moments. Dedue had been in Dimitri’s dorm before, when Dimitri was in need of some assistance with anything. It wasn’t much more decorated than his own. A small part of Dedue felt… perhaps sad, that Dimitri hadn’t decorated his room. Some of his female schoolmates, like Hilda and Annette, covered their walls with paintings or family portraits or flowers, or who-knows-what, simply because it made them happy. And to see Dimitri’s room so barren, it let Dedue privy to the fact that Dimitri didn’t see his dorm as a home either. It was no problem that his own dorm was barren, but Dimitri was a crown prince, and had every right to make his room a little ornate. Not necessarily in an overboard, showboating way, but perhaps pick out his own bedsheets, or a softer pillow, or maybe a small painting on the wall. Something to provide him comfort after long and hard days of schooling and training.

Dedue wanted to do something to help Dimitri feel more at home in the monastery. He knew Dimitri wasn’t just going to stay here forever, they were students for the same length of time, after all. But… perhaps some décor would lift his spirits.

So Dedue, in his free time, went to the library. Oftentimes he would find Ignatz there. He wasn’t close to Ignatz, but he knew that Ignatz would rather be a painter than a knight, but due to unfortunate circumstances, had otherwise no choice. If Dedue thought about it more, maybe he had that in common with Ignatz, in a way. Regardless, he found Ignatz there and went to him.

“Ignatz.” Dedue greeted, grabbing Ignatz’s attention from his book.

“O-Oh! Hi Dedue, you startled me!” Ignatz said, placing the book down.

“My apologies,” Dedue said. It happened quite often. For a man of his size, he was apparently a very quiet step, “May I ask a favor of you?”

“Of me?” Ignatz asked, genuinely surprised, “What do you need that I can do?”

“You’re familiar with painting, correct?” Dedue asked, getting right to the point.

“Oh, well yes, it’s a, um, _hobby_ of mine, yes.” Ignatz nodded, nervous for a moment.

“If it’s not too much, could I trouble you for a small painting?” Dedue asked. He wasn’t familiar with the practice at all, so he honestly had no reference to how lengthy or difficult this favor might be.

“Oh!” Ignatz said, eyes suddenly lighting up, “Wh-What would you like? Do you mean a portrait?”

“No, no,” Dedue said quickly, he couldn’t imagine giving Dimitri a portrait of himself for décor- that idea sounded horrible, “something for decoration, perhaps a landscape? You know more on this matter than I, I trust your judgement on this.”

Ignatz nodded, then held his chin in his hand.

“Well… If it’s for decoration, then like you said, landscapes are safe bets… However people also like family or personal portraits, if it’s a private décor… Some people like things more pious, like an interpretation of one of the saints… Is this for you, Dedue?”

“No, it is for his Highness,” Dedue answered.

“Ah, I suppose he wouldn’t be too invested in a saints image, then,” Ignatz said, quietly chuckling, “What type of scenery does he like? I have a lot of small landscapes already done, in my dorm. Would you like to see which one you think he would like? I can make another if none of them fit what you’re looking for.”

“That would be very kind of you, thank you. I do not mean to disturb your studies, however.” Dedue said, motioning to the closed book in Ignatz’s hand.

“Oh, no, no,” Ignatz laughed quietly, “This is just a book on myths. I got into a discussion about a certain mythos character with Marianne and Hilda and was curious about who of us was closest. I’m far from doing anything of real worth right now.”

With that comfort, Ignatz led Dedue to his dorm. It, as expected, was far more decorated than Dedue’s own. Several of what Dedue can only assume as Ignatz’s personal works were hung across the walls, and thinner paper paintings were laid across the floor, some still looking to be drying.

“Sorry it’s so messy in here, my hobby is, uh, a bit sloppy,” Ignatz said, trying to subtly push some into a pile.

“Please, do not inconvenience yourself for my sake,” Dedue said quickly. Something about this dorm felt like ‘home’. Not his own home, mind you, but certainly someone’s. And Dedue would feel awful if his presence ruined the feeling.

Ignatz nodded, but still shyly held some away.

“Anyway,” Ignatz said, reaching into a long case and pulling it out, “these are most of my landscapes. It’s a personal favorite subject of mine, so I have plenty.”

It was true. Some were the same material as the thin paper across the floor, others were done on thicker canvas. Dedue assumed that meant the canvas ones were better, but he honestly had nothing to go on for that assumption, since all the paintings looked stunning to him.

Ignatz sat anxiously, staring at Dedue as he one-by-one scrolled through the paintings. Then one caught his eye.

It seemed like one of the fields north-west of the monastery, but he wasn’t sure. What he was sure of, however, was that it was surely springtime when Ignatz painted this. The hills were more yellow and pink and white than they were green, with flowers blooming out of every inch of the ground.

“Oh, yeah, that was really fun to paint! I like painting flowers, but I used to have such trouble with it, hah,” Ignatz said, reminiscing.

“How much would one like this cost?” Dedue asked, holding it up.

“Oh, no, no, you can have that, it’s old anyway!” Ignatz said quickly, shaking his hands in a ‘no way’ motion and blushing slightly.

“What do you mean?” Dedue asked, “That wouldn’t be a fair trade, to simply take your hard work from you like this.”

“Oh, I don’t mind, really! I make paintings for my friends all the time! And besides, I have plenty of flower paintings, I’ll hardly even notice one’s gone! Especially since you’re just taking the one, it’s truly not a huge deal.”

Dedue held the painting, contemplating Ignatz’s words.

“What is your favorite meal?” Dedue asked.

“Huh?” Ignatz hummed, tilting his head, then moving to a thinking position, “I suppose I really enjoy the dining hall’s Cabbage and Herring Stew… Why do you ask?”

“Since you won’t take any gold for this, I can arrange that the dining staff makes that soon. I often work alongside them cooking the meals.” Dedue explained.

Once Ignatz realized what Dedue was saying he quickly resumed the ‘no, no!’ posture.

“D-Dedue, that’s even more trouble for you than just paying me!!! Please, don’t worry, I don’t mind you taking this!!!” He said quickly, louder than intended, probably, but then he calmed down and continued, “You said you were going to give this to prince Dimitri, right?”

Dedue nodded.

“That’s payment enough!!! Most of my paintings just sit in my room and collect dust, but now I might have one being given to a prince! That’s such an honor! If anything, you’re doing _me_ a favor!”

Dedue thought about what he was saying. Perhaps this was mutually beneficial. After all, many merchants would fight tooth and nail to give a prince their work, so as to better their own name. Ignatz seemed to have none of the negative connotations of this, just was genuinely excited to share his work with a prince.

Dedue sighed, not socially adept enough to argue this matter further.

“Alright, if you’re sure that’s fine.”

“I am, really,” Ignatz assured, entirely calmed down and normal volume again, “And, I appreciate you coming to me for this, I know we aren’t the closest of friends of anything, but it means a lot that you even knew I liked to paint.”

“You came once to the greenhouse to paint the flowers.” Dedue reminded.

Ignatz blinked, thought deeply, then snapped his fingers.

“Oh! You’re totally right, I did do that! Wow, that was a long time ago! You have a really sharp memory, Dedue!”

“Ah,” Dedue said quietly, “Please, do not waste your praise on me, as a man of Duscur it would be offputting for others to hear you say such things to me.”

“Oh, uh, maybe if I was from the Kingdom, but I’m just from a merchant family in the Alliance, I really don’t have any thoughts- good or bad- about Duscur… and hardly any reputation to ruin, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Dedue sighed, knowing it was still a risk. But he got what he came for, so any additional argument was simply a waste.

So after further thanks, Dedue took the painting and left. He figured that Dimitri would be at additional training right now, not in his room, so Dedue went down the hall to his own room to store the painting until he could properly give it to his Highness.

Soon, the opportunity arose, when his Highness asked Dedue if he wanted to study together in Dimitri’s room. Dedue reminded him that his Highness was better at school than Dedue, so there wouldn’t be of much benefit, but his Highness simply said that he enjoyed studying in the presence of others- it helped keep him accountable, he claimed. Dedue had never known his Highness to be one to slack off when not monitored, but he wouldn’t argue with him. Plus, this gave Dedue an opportunity to bring his present.

Dedue went to his dorm to retrieve necessary schoolbooks, and shifted the painting under one arm, trying carefully not to scuff it any.

He knocked at his Highness’ door. He came to the door quickly.

“You can just let yourself in, Dedue, really, it’s not a- oh, whats that?” Dimitri asked, distracted by the strange medium canvas under Dedue’s arm.

Dedue placed his school books onto the floor by the doorway, and properly held out the painting for Dimitri to see.

“This is for you.” He said, simply.

Dimitri blinked, staring at the painting in surprise, as if it were some three-headed dog instead of a painting.

“Why?” Dimitri asked, finally.

“Why?” Dedue echoed, confused.

“Why did you bring me this?” Dimitri asked, realizing the door was still open behind Dedue and going to close it.

While he was doing so, Dedue looked back down at the painting. That was… a good question. Why _did_ he? Well, he did it because his Highness’ room seemed lonely, and he wanted to remedy that, but to say it so simply like that would surely be insulting. Perhaps the painting wasn’t to his Highness’ liking after all, and this assumption that he would want this was stepping too far for Dedue to excuse. Perhaps he truly was getting too comfortable with his Highness, to simply present a painting like this, unasked for.

Dimitri, however, must have noticed Dedue’s worried expression, and was quick to act.

“I really like it,” He said, as if reading Dedue’s mind, “I was just wondering why you got this. And how, for that matter, I didn’t know you to be a painter.”

“I’m not, this is from Ignatz. He paints landscapes often.” Dedue explained, showing the small scratched signature on the bottom right corner.

“Ah, so it is.” Dimitri hummed, leaning down to see the signature clearly.

Which left the original question still unanswered.

“I thought, you might find joy in something like this. Many others have their room decorated to provide relaxation.” Dedue said, explaining in as much of a neutral way as possible.

“Oh, I see,” Dimitri said, nodding. Dedue hoped he understood his intentions entirely, and wasn’t offended by such an assumption. He didn’t seem to be, however, quickly warming up to the painting and taking it from Dedue’s hands.

“It’s quite lovely,” Dimitri said, holding it to the light that his window provided, “He did a marvelous job on the flowers.”

“I know you aren’t one for splendor, but I hope you like this,” Dedue said, quietly.

“I love it,” Dimitri said, beaming at Dedue. All confusion behind the gift gone, appreciation replacing it.

Dedue hoped his cheeks weren’t darkening at Dimitri’s words, but it wasn’t often Dimitri expressed an admiration for things in such a manner. He usually took things in stride and, while polite and never ungrateful, wasn’t much for overacting.

While Dedue was processing Dimitri’s gratefulness, Dimitri was scanning his room.

“Hmmm…” Dimitri hummed, holding the painting in one hand and tapping his lip with the other.

“Is something the matter, your Highness?” Dedue asked.

“I’m not sure where to place this.” Dimitri said, holding the painting up slightly, “Perhaps on the wall over the desk? But that might be too high to properly see the flowers…”

“Would next to the door serve well?” Dedue asked, scooting out of the way, motioning to the wall next to the door.

“Ah, a brilliant idea, Dedue,” Dimitri praised, and Dedue was certain it was uncalled for. After all, one more second of looking around, and surely his Highness would have figured out the location for himself.

But Dimitri had no hammer and nails to set up a hook for the painting, so it lay against the wall on the floor, under where it will later be hung up.

They began their studying, both sitting on the floor, Dimitri’s back against his bed and Dedue’s against the desk. Every time they were in the room together, Dimitri insisted that he wouldn’t use the desk if Dedue would be on the floor, despite Dedue constantly trying to dispel the undue concern. But… He typically lost these arguments when his Highness simply stopped talking about it and sat on the floor, instead of debating it.

Dedue was working on a tactical report that had been giving him some trouble- words were never his strongsuit, after all,- and Dimitri was reading his Fodland History book. But Dedue could hardly focus, with Dimitri constantly glancing over to the painting against the wall. He didn’t notice the glances at first, but soon his Highness grew significantly less subtle, moving nearly his entire head to stare at it instead of his book.

“Is something the matter, your Highness?” Dedue asked, after the thousandth glance to the painting.

“Oh, ah, I suppose I’m not very focused, am I?” Dimitri sighed, scratching his cheek, embarrassed.

Dedue said nothing, but continued to look at Dimitri, the question still standing.

“Nothing is the matter,” Dimitri said, calming Dedue’s nerves, “I suppose I’m just… surprised, is all.”

“Hopefully not a negative surprise,” Dedue said, more a question than statement.

“No, no, far from negative!” Dimitri said, shaking his head, “In fact, the surprise is from how kind this is.”

Dedue blinked, thrown off for a moment.

“I suppose I never expected someone to consider my living conditions enough to do something like this, out of nowhere,” Dimitri explained, chuckling shyly at the end.

“Many care about your living conditions, your Highness, you’re a prince.” Dedue reminded, as if Dimitri forgot he had a head on his shoulders.

“Well, yeah, but not in that sense, I mean,” Dimitri continued, “Living _comforts_ , I should say. You were right when you said I’m not one for splendor, but I suppose seeing it here does show that my room is rather empty.”

“I didn’t mean it to mean it in such an offensive way, to imply your room was unfit before.”

“No, no, Dedue, I don’t mean that at all!” Dimitri sighed, “I simply mean to thank you for your thoughtfulness.”

“Then please, thank Ignatz as well, he was the one who has done the hard work, not I.” Dedue deflected.

Dimitri seemed to stutter for a moment, then nodded.

“He did a marvelous job, didn’t he?” Dimtri asked, seeming to have calmed down, and looking wistfully back at the canvas.

Dedue nodded.

“Tell me, Dedue, what kind of decorations do you like?” Dimitri asked, after a moment.

“Me?”

Dimitri nodded.

“I suppose I don’t have much of a particular taste, as long as there is a roof over my head.” Dedue answered, somewhat shyly. He really wasn’t educated in the styles of décor to give a proper answer other than ‘I like flowers’.

“It doesn’t need to be anything particular,” Dimitri shrugged, “Rather, do you have a favorite color?”

“I suppose blue, after our house.” Dedue answered.

“Then would you like more Blue Lion décor for your own room?” Dimitri asked, and it clicked just what he was trying to do-repay Dedue. Which was an absolutely unnecessary venture.

“Your Highness, you mustn’t worry about my room, a commoner’s room isn’t meant to be decorated like yours.” Dedue said, trying to derail his Highness from the idea.

“Maybe it isn’t required, but neither is décor in my own room. And yet you say it fit to help bring me comfort, so I’d like to help you find your own in your room.” Dimitri said with full confidence in his voice.

This was… Not was Dedue intended to happen.

“So?” Dimitri continued, “Is there something you’d like?”

“Really, you mustn’t trouble yourself like this…”

“And you mustn’t have troubled yourself for me, either.”

“But it is no trouble to serve you, your Highness-” Dedue hardly got the defense out of his mouth before Dimitri retorted:

“Then it’s no trouble for me to do the very same.” He said, and the tone of his voice carried the additional message of “this debate is no more.”

Dedue held his position for a moment, before sighing and lowering his posture. Defeat.

“Would you like a houseplant?” Dimitri asked.

Even in his embarrassed defeat, Dedue appreciated his Highness’ kindness and golden heart. He noted Dedue’s hobby for gardening.

“I… perhaps.” Dedue said, hardly above a whisper.

“Any plant in particular? My knowledge of plants is, er, rather subpar…” Dimitri admitted.

Dedue was a breath away from saying something like ‘for you to have to research this is a trouble and not necessary’, but the fire in his Highness’ eyes stopped him.

“… I suppose an herb, like basil, would serve a useful function…” Dedue said, still quiet.

Dimitri nodded, looking nearly as focused as he was in his lectures. He was taking this far too seriously…

“And where could I acquire this?”

“Th-The market by the entrance to the monastery typically has some… but at this point, I could go get it, you don’t need to-”

“Let’s go together then.” Dimitri interrupted, smiling at Dedue.

_This stubborn man…_ Dedue thought, but with no ill-will.

“…” Dedue paused, staring back at Dimitri, as if asking his for permission for this.

“After all, what’s a small houseplant to something so thoughtful as this?” Dimitri asked, any hidden ‘threatening’ tones gone from his voice, replaced by genuine kindness instead.

The kindness is what broke through Dedue’s defenses. His Highness was often so wrapped up in his focus of the future, but the tone of his voice… the same tone he used when teaching Dedue to read and write… Dedue worried that this tone would overcome his will, in any situation. His Highness would hopefully not figure this weakness out, for Dedue’s sake.

“Perhaps this weekend the merchants will have some.” Dedue said, with it an agreement to go.

Dimitri smiled widely at Dedue.

“Tell me, however, Dedue,” Dimitri asked, voice back to a normal tone, thankfully, “How did you know I love landscapes such as this one? I don’t recall ever mentioning my fondness for those white flowers of spring.”

Dedue glanced back at the painting, and shrugged ever so slightly.

“It’s a beauty anyone would appreciate, I suppose.”

If he were a braver man, in a far different situation than this, being a humble vassal to his Highness, then perhaps he would admit the whole truth: that those were his favorite flowers, too, and hoped to add a bit of his love to the gift as well.

**Author's Note:**

> i feel like i could write for of this???? idk what do yall think?????


End file.
